Did the SR-71 Speed Check Story Actually Happen?
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- Опубликовано: 31 авг 2022
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rumour has it this guy was flying the F/A-18 at the time lol
@Chris Guest, if that is what it was (and that is possible), it is NO WONDER Brian Shul had funny remarks about some of the 'NAVY GUYS'....
Does kind of have that sour grapes feeling. There are at least 5 probable witnesses to the event. The Cessna guy, the Bonanza guy, Walter, Dusty, and LA Center controllers. plus a plethora of pilots monitoring Center that day.
🤣
@@mickboyce386 ...same 😂
As you say rumour.
He strikes me as a Cessna guy doing 90 knots.
Why?
😂 You win today! 🤣👍👍
Brian Shul noted that Walt was monitoring other frequencies
This guy was an SR 71 pilot lol
Brian Shul explains that Walt was monitoring other frequencies and thats when they heard the speed checks.
You are Absolutely right !!!!
I agree. Since he obviously doesn't know where the story came from, and admits he's just guessing, I tend to believe Brian Shul. They might not have been communicating on the regular channel, but they can listen to whatever they want. Fun fact: a Cesna pilot can get a hefty fine or even go to jail for communicating on a military frequency, but they can listen all they want. Just saying they have the capability, or they used to at the time.
The story says he was monitoring the frequency. When the conversation happened, they could not help themselves. Just like I would have done
This guy is all wet😂 Brian and Walt are the best
Exactly!
For those who don't know Al, he was a SR-71 pilot and the person who set the fastest air-breathing manned aircraft record in 1976.
Perhaps the SR-71 radios Al was familiar with... had been upgraded with more capabilities... by the time Shul and Watson were flying the bird... TEN YEARS later?
@@corycrowell3852 nope, still would not be talking on civilian frequency
He never said he was talking to ATC. Walter was monitoring multiple frequencies. They butted in.
Air breathing?
@@Maoistan the jet engines are aspirated by the earths atmosphere, instead of carrying their own oxidizer like a rocket engine.
You don't think the most sophisticated spy plane can switch to a different frequency? Ugh! True story.
thats what i reckon.
But didnt they say in the story that they were snooping in the frequency because they wanted to?
Yea he did say that
That’s what I remember that his back seat guy (Al??) was monitoring a bunch of radio frequencies.
Yes they were bored. This story has been confirmed by others involved…plus most hero’s don’t go on a random flex…. They flex when they’ve done something to flex about.
The way I heard it told by Shul is that his partner Walter was ‘managing 5 radios of various kinds’ and that in the case of LA Centre they were ‘above controlled air-space so they can see us in their screen by they aren’t talking to us’
There was someone from ATC that actually confirmed the story about 10ish years ago. Not only did the Blackbird pimp the Navy, they were something like 51,000ft above any other jet at 1,9XX kts and supposedly still slightly accelerating.
Exactly…several people have confirmed. Sad
Centre I’m showing a little closer to 2000
True or not, Brian and Walter became a crew that day
The navy was flamed
Two 12 year olds flew that SR-71
This is why we won the cold war
“The Navy must die!” 😅
Without a doubt, one of the best and absolute standout aviation stories on the internet!
Now that Maj. Shul can't defend himself, this guy makes an accusation after years of the story circulating.
I believe Walter Watson is still alive.
With 5 radios, I'd imagine you'd bored enough to listen to unicom and ctaf just to give your brain something to do
It was called the 3min plane as you were checking all instruments every three minutes... definitely wouldn't be bored
routine flights, you are still going to be bored if you have done nothing but check those insturments.@@phantom_Biker
Hell I do that here on the ground.
The ARC-186(V) VHF radio, made by Collins, listed at $6000.00 was installed in the SR-71. It provided transmission and reception from 108.00 to 151.975 Mhz and held 20 presets. L.A. Center can be found at 126.775 Mhz. So, yes Brian's story is very plausible and is probably true. Besides, it was Walter's (RSO) cockpit from which the incident occurred..
Sr crews never spoke on civilian radio stations...they used an intermediate if they needed to get a message through. The flight was planned right down to the turns weeks in advance so they would never need to communicate with anything but their own base and the refilling tankers.
@@phantom_Biker which is why they say it everty time, that it was done for fun, because it was a routine training mission, and routine training easily gets boring.
Collins Radio, a name from the past. My Dad worked there ‘66-70 on the Apollo program, specifically, the LEM communications. Art Collins was a great engineer, worked hard, expected perfection or close to it.
@@phantom_Biker Actually, they did talk to civilian controllers from time to time. They didn't have to 97% of the time, but they sometimes did.
As I mentioned on another comment, look up the transcript of the crash of Dutch-68.
@@Britcarjunkie Very rarely like I have mentioned before as flights were pre planned and approved up to weeks beforehand.there is so many facts ppl can't accept that make this a tall tale.....civil radar mostly tracked transponders which the SR never had on at Mach flight, the radar cross section of a SR is the size of a bird that only military radar could pick up and any time they did fluke picking it up was due to the SR always flying the same camera flight plan... And lastly all the SR pilots and RSO's in our group all maintain there was no way civil radar could "speed check" them, be even talking to them at Mach flight and travelling at 44 miles per minute you couldn't have this chit chat with a ground controller as you would be out of his zone in a few minutes but yet people will call all the other SR pilots liars to believe a tall tale made to sell books
You know.... when the Air Traffic Controller Association (ATCS) hires Shul to be the keynote speaker at several of their annual conferences... paying his speaking fee, travel expenses... and snapping up signed copies of his $300 SR book, Sled Driver... you'd think SOMEONE out of the thousands of ATC's at these conferences would call "b.s" if ANY part of L.A. Speed Check didn't pass the smell test. Yet, they keep calling. 😁 So I am hazarding a guess, here.... every word is true.
He sells a good book an tells a good story.....but it's just that....a story
@@phantom_Biker he says while recounting the memory that Walter was monitoring the other channels… which would make sense for training purposes while on reconnaissance, the “story” is absolutely true (IMHO)
Tru story, SR-71 pilot Brian Shul and his crew was the reason that story exists
Yeah but it's still just a story from the only person kicked out of the program
@@jaymz168 I talk to two ex pilots regularly and they had told me long ago how it was rubbish. He never goes to any of the association meetings as none of them would speak to him
Consider the source Brian Shul🤮🤮
@@vertisjohnson219 exactly
@@vertisjohnson219 And yet he's the pilot that everyone knows and calls for speaking events?
I actually saw a video of a talk given by one of the SR71 pilots telling this story and if I remember correctly it was the radio operator in the back that was listening in on the frequency, not for actual air traffic procedures, just listening in and eventually responding for fun. The video is on youtube somewhere.
It's not true still
@@phantom_Biker how do you know? Because someone else said otherwise?
@@NaughtyShepherd yes two habu pilots that had worked beside him , one of said pilots having nearly all the flight hour pins available....so good sources. Also the ex colonel of the squadron called him out on it.
ruclips.net/video/hFJMs15sVSY/видео.html
This is the video I think you’re talking about. It’s an awesome watch wether it’s true or not. I’m not sure of the time stamp of which he begins talking about the speed check though.
Brian Shul's former RSO Walter Watson doesn't appear with him anywhere
All it takes is the back guy switching over and transmitting on the low freq.
WHICH WOULD NEVER EVER HAPPEN IN A MILITARY VEHICLE!!!
@@imghost6296how do you know?
@@imghost6296 Yea it would, people get bored
@@imghost6296yes it does, redirecting civil, wayward and/or rookie pilots from controlled/restricted areas.
@@imghost6296 Nobody else got your sarcasm. Good one. On cold winter nights in the tent when I was Infantry, we'd dial the PRC-77 all the way down to the lowest freq and pick up CBC and listen to the hockey games. Not many people know that the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation actually transmits hockey on that freq specifically for the military.
It's on RUclips, told by the pilot of the SR-71 when it happened.
It was his rear seater who was listening to commercial frq on purpose and responded to the traffic, not Brian Shul the pilot but Walter.
Watch the video for yourself.
Walter said it’s true. So it’s true.
I believe he said his partner was “ monitoring” the radio traffic. Gave me the impression they don’t normally listen to it.
Major Brian Shul in his story said they were monitoring the low level frequency out of curiosity, not because they were actually talking on that freq.
I have amazing respect for this man, but I also have a lot of respect for Major Shul, who was also an SR-71 pilot. It is also entirely possible that these two gentlemen were flying at different times and quite possibly even different places around the time Major Shul's story takes place.
Wrong oh man with mis-information.
SR71 has many radios capable of monitoring and communicating on many frequencies. They listened to and spoke to air traffic controllers in TRACON, Flight Following and ATC mainly as a courtesy when above 50,000 feet where no commercial traffic would be. When bellow 50K feet of-course the spoke so ATC knew their intensions and advise of high flying commercial traffic.
If they didn’t have transponder or altimeter on for security reasons the US radars only saw fast moving shaded blip return.
I believe Brian Shul on anything he says.
They used an intermediate controller to talk to civil....they could only talk to civil is an emergency, shaul story they were supersonic...this is only above 50k doing 9 miles a minute...they definitely were not talking to civil controllers and also the fact that civilian radar at the time could not detect anything going mach 2 upwards. Multiple Sr crews have called this story , this is why shaul never goes to any reunion meetings
With the passing of Brian yesterday, we may never know. Is Walter still with us?
But, I could see today where it probably wouldn't happen, but back in the 70s and early 80s, if the controller was doing multiple frequencies, which did happen occasionally, it might be true.
Either way, it's a great story, and I wish Brian's family and friends the best at this time, and my condolences.
You probably should talk to Brian Shul, he was piloting the plane with his friend Walter
Yeah an kicked out of the program for his behavior trying to get pics for his book
Waltuh
He was the only person to be kicked out of the program, guy needs to make story’s to sell
Tim don't be an asshole. I'm sure this former SR-71 pilot knows Brian Shul better than you do from watching some RUclips video.
Rip Mr Shul
The story comes out of a training mission. Could it not have been part of the trading to be monitoring various frequencies including civilian to build experience monitoring multiple radios?
No, they don't monitor civilian radio...the SR used an intermediate radio operator who talks to the air traffic controller etc. Would be a very rare occasion like an emergency landing on a unplanned area that the crew would talk to a civilian controller.
@@phantom_Biker as a former military aviation mechanic and talking with a LOT of military pilots, they DO monitor civilian frequencies as well as broadcast frequencies. my pilots would tell me that they would listen to local radio stations while they were flying. They also HAVE TO monitor civilian freqs because not all flights occur in military airspace. they have to follow ATC just like the civilians do. so please do yourself a favor and educate yourself on aviation before you make any more asinine comments.
Sounds like one SR-71 pilot doesn’t like another…… because they must know each other because this community is small…..
Hater... All you have to do is change freq to be heard. What is not likely about that?
Brian Shul is THEE only SR-71 pilot removed from flying the SR-71. It isn't about dislike, its about serving up B.S. And Brian was doing that
"Shul, though removed from flying the SR-71 without a hearing, WITHOUT A HEARING flew the T-38 at Beale until retirement. No official, punitive action was ever taken against either, simply because there was absolutely nothing, aside from poor judgment, to charge them with."
@@TheChaz81 Where did you find this? I couldn't find anything.
@@TheChaz81”Charge THEM”? Who was the other? Was Walter “kicked out” as well?
Throwing shade at Schul!
Even little airplanes have multiple radios, giving you backup Tx ability, as well as allowing you to monitor and quickly hop between frequencies.
Cause he's a liar an kicked out of the program for his behavior
He is a server at Chillis?
True or not, "Speed Check" is one of the best yarns I have ever heard. I laff out loud every time I hear it and I have listened to it many times.
So why was Walter monitoring 5 radios then?
They were monitoring other frequencies, it's in the story.
ATC wasn't "supposed" to talk to them until they initiated comms.
You know a radio can change frequencies.
Brian’s radio man was monitoring 5 radio’s.
Probably not a desktop SW set.
His experience was so awesome it had to be classified
They did not have to monitor that frequency, but they were certainly able to. Guy in the backseat was probably bored and just channel surfing point. This guy should’ve just said, “ I don’t know if it’s true or not.”
I'm wondering if the RSO (Walter Watson) did have the frequency of ATC tuned-in at that time.... I give the crew of the SR-71 , in question, the benefit of the doubt....
The LA Speed Check baby!
I refuse to believe the LA Speed Check story is fake.
That would be wise seeing as the ATC from center that day actually came to one of their speaking engagements and corroborated the entire thing.
Eldon Joresz former SR-71 pilot, and a true recorder holder with the SR-71.
Where is the air zoo located?
Near Kalamazoo, MI :)
@@AirZoo that tracks. You need an air zoo at Kalamazoo
its off Portage Road just south of the Kalamazoo / Portage border on the west side of rthe Kalamazoo airport
years ago at the Dayton Air show in ohio the museum has a sr71 and I wad talking with 2 pilots. I asked them just how fast is the sr71. with a smirk. 1 said that it can come out of retirement and easily beat any speed record. as he was saying this hes holding his hand up with all 5 fingers spread.
True story. Back in 2005, I was flying in a C-5 at cruising altitude over Nevada. Another aircraft requested FL600. ATC responded with, “Buddy, if you can make it, you can have it.” The other aircraft replied, “Descending to Flight Level 600.” We are unsure of what type of aircraft it was. We suspect it was a U-2.
The best one is when the SR71 pilot calls at for flight level 600 (60,000 feet) and the ATC thinking it’s a commercial pilot messing around says “ yeah if you can get there you can have it” then the pilot comes back and says “Roger, descending to flight level 600 😮
I find that hard to believe, why wouldn't your radio operator be monitoring several frequencies when you're stateside? Literally on a training practice mission for intelligence gathering why would you not use some of that capability when it doesn't matter to keep your skills up?
Been going on for decades: crews get bored.
Also, if normal methods of navigation take a dump, one can tune in a radio station, and home in on the signal, and figure out where they are.
SR-71 crews used star readings for navigation, and not Loran-C, or compasses (gps didn't exist yet), so it makes sense that they could do it.
While doing a long nav ex, I tuned in an AM talk back radio station just to listen to something on one of my 3 radios in a Piper Warrior. The SR-71 could easily have 5.
... the SR-71 had to talk to Air Traffic Control for Refueling as it was done at a much lower altitute. And the story was that a a request for Flight Level "600" , that is 60,000 ft which is the upper limit of controled airspace ... The air traffic controller thought he was being messed w/ ... so his responce was ''' if you can get there, it is yours" ... the responce was brief ..."decending" ... sooo ... it was very easy to guess what plane it had to be ...
Considering how small the SR-71 community is, I’m sure Al knows exactly who put that story out there.
These guys ALWAYS monitored center because if they had an emergency and had to descend they would be able to instantly get clearance into IFR controlled airspace, which is everything between 18,000 and 60,000.
Don’t know why this guy would dis Brian Shul’s story. Petty.
He's explaining to the teacher the accident he definitely did do lmao
I don't see why you would call it "probably not true" simply because "you normally wouldn't be on those frequencies."
Unless ofcourse the plane *can't* use those frequencies.
I mean, a military truck normally wouldn't be drifting, yet even an 8x8 slides pretty comfortably in the right conditions.
🤣😂🤣
The only reason you think that it _is_ true is you watched a stranger telling a story on a RUclips video. Awesome job Sherlock.
What ?
The use of the tactical frequency is optional, not mandatory….for a two crewman aircraft with multiple radios there’s a more of a chance this story is true. LA Center controller here and I believe it!
Sr pilots didn't use civil Radio frequencies and the radar wasn't able to pick up craft going above mach 2 when this so called story happened
When Brian tells the story you can often him start with « One day, high above Arizona, we were monitoring the radio traffic of all the mortal airplanes below is »….
The back seater could monitor at least 5 radio fréquencies at the same Time and in that case it’s not Brian that did the setup but his backseater Walter.
There were on training just building hours other the states… complètely plausible that Amongst the five frequencies Walter was monitoring the ATC was one of them. Looks more the Statement of a disgruntled pilot other a more famous collegue
Apart from the facts they were not allowed to talk to civil controllers and the civil radar at the time won't track anything going anywhere near mach 2+
The crew can monitor ANY frequency. They don't need to, but you were also not suposed to take pictures of the plane...But Brian did...often.
This is worse than finding out the truth about Santa Claus😥
Pilot jealousy. Not only did this man not think of something fun like this to do, but he also missed out on a bunch of amazing pictures!
He didn't think to do it because it never happened by anybody.
You mean a spy plane cant listen to other frequencies? Thats its job...and taking pictures
Major Brian Shul who tells the story passed away in March 2023. Very sad.
@J Sung, Oh,what a shame.. He was a great guy... So inspirational !!! He will never be forgotten... Especially when He And his RSO Walter Watson were flying along at Mach 3+ and encountering that situation of the infamous , 'LA Speed Story'... Just Awesome!!!
@@michaelmartinez1345except they didn't "encounter" this story as it never happened.
@@gr8crash I didn't realize there was a Third seat in these planes... What was it like to fly with them Mr.Crash? Or whatever Your ACTUAL name is....
@michaelmartinez1345 no nees to be there to know it didn't happen. Just listen to the story and as he talked you can pick put several reasons why it never happened. Even without picking out all the examples, the biggest reason as to why was the story was a joke. It was being told within the SR71 community a full decade prior to Shul ever becoming part of the program. He just happen to hear it, and he told it at a symposium making it "his story". This was also I believe after he was removed from flying the SR71 after getting caught lying to his Commander.
1971 Udorn Thailand, We scrambled the F4s on alert for unidentified air craft. When our planes got to altitude it was gone. We think it was you.
When I flew training missions on the RC-135, the pilot would tune in to CB radio frequencies with the call sign Big Bird and screw with people.
Some people are just bitter they didn’t do the shit
I'm going to continue believing in that story...
Brian was in BAMC burnward about a yr before I was. I heard a lot of good stuff about him
ATC transmits on both VHF and UHF, so only hear only half the conversation. Back in the day flying out west we’d hear them talking to Aspen XXX “ cleared out of controlled, airspace, stop squawk”.
Damn!
I was 24 years an air traffic controller for the US FAA. Near airports with a control tower a radar approach control facility will be the ATC frequency pilots would be in contact with. The airspace alloted to these approach controls only extends upward to 10000 or possibly 12000 feet. Then an enroute control facility called a "center" monitors the airspace above that.
But there are many large areas away from airports with a terminal approach air traffic control facility. This is more prevalent in the western US east of Los Angeles south of Provo, Utah, west of Wendover, Utah/Nevada but north of the Las Vegas approach control. In areas such as that the enroute center such as L.A. Center is the only aur traffic control facility from 2500 above ground level up to space. And in Southern California east of Los Angeles there are many military operation areas. And several small uncontrolled airport where small planes fly to and all would be monitoring the center frequency in that area.
So it is entirely possible. But what didn't happen is air traffic seeing the speed of the SR-71 while doing its high speed runs. The equipment blanks out that information even to the radar controller.
I knew a controller that was in contact with an SR-71 on a high speed mission.
The ground speed was just dashes. But he could estimate pretty close because he could see how many miles it crossed in one minute. About 2900 to 3200 mph.
never let facts get in the way of a good story.
Well, they can easily tune in the published frequency on the 2nd or 3rd radio or whatever.
Well being a story about the Habu, a piece of technology built to snoop on frequencies all over the world, I personally don’t consider it made up.
Except the Pilot who was flying it that day said its true. It was his backseater that did it. 🤷🏾♂️
Dang....it is such a great story
If I were the back seater on an exercise sortie, on board of a spy plane, that's exactly what I would be doing. Playing with the toys no one else has, snooping into other people's business.
As Maj Brian Shuul stated they can hear air traffic control but as they above controlled airspace. The SR 71 was a spyplane they listened to all radio communications so although this guy is dissing it i think he should maybe respect the memory of the greatest sled driver who has now passed
Shul, the only person kicked out of the program....tells a good story to sell plenty of books 😂😂
Still way more famous than you. RIP, Major Shul.
@@jmedlin6 👏🏻👏🏻🤣🤣 not the debate but hey ho
@@phantom_BikerHow exactly do you know so much about Shul and the program? I’m sure we’d all like to know since you have multiple comments in this thread.
@@RustyCas999 I run one of the biggest sr-71 groups on Facebook and an good friends with lots of the ex pilots, ground crew and Lockheed engineers as well as spoken one to one with his station commander who is also the one that removed him from active SR duty for putting the aircraft at risk to take photos for the book he was writing at the time.
The version I heard states that the radio operator just happen to switch over to that frequency for shits and giggles. Of course that could also be made up.
I always like it when people comment on things and have never heard the original story - but, have an opinion anyway. If you've heard the story, Brian Shul says that Walt was monitoring other frequencies.
It's not just a story, it's a💯 true story
Walter was on 5 different frequencies.
Must be a naval guy! 😁
So Brian Schull was bulshitting in front of all those people!?
Yup
The late Brian Shul was the pilot. He stated that it was true. Mr. Shul has told this story many times...where were you then Al? Please stop talking, and do not call someone out who is unable to defend himself.
He is incorrect. Many people heard it
+ Was thinking, by the time they hear all the other call outs, wouldn't they be far away from the orignal area and on a different freq?
Nether the less, still an awesome story.
Ok could have went with out hearing this. I love the LA Speed Check Story.
Same, sometimes it’s best to let a story be a story. Especially if it doesn’t effect anyone.
This putz, whoever he is, is just sad that he doesn't have any cool stories about flying. He looks like he does accounting for fun.
@@trentjensen96 he's one of the fastest Sr pilots about....and his are timed runs...not make believe like Shuls lol
@@phantom_Biker yeah but no one knows about him. EVERYONE knows Shul.
@@trentjensen96 Al is a SR record and world record holder....fastest air breathing plane pilot in history...his record stands still today...shaul was kicked out and regarded by his CO as the only man to bring shame on the program
Next you’ll tell us the easter bunny isn’t real either!
Not at night time..ATC combines high and low when there is little traffic.
I’ll still believe the story is true just because a couple who don’t like him says it’s not true doesn’t make it true
Not crew....but facts that they can't deny
cmon.. even in the story they mention that they're monitoring 5 freqs at once in the sr71. i monitor at least 2 simultaneously.
I really want some background on this. I have no idea what's going on lol. Thanks
Bro.... Noooo...... Let us have this beautiful story...
I was in Diego Garcia... I know what one of you SR-71 pilots did.
Share? The "rumors" around the sr71 vs the official statements are... Intriguing
But he said the RSO was monitoring other frequencies
As the story goes the RSO switched frequencies to turn on non military atc channel !
Spy plane monitoring multiple frequencies for training? No they would never 😂
Not hard to set the other radios to those frequencies unless unlike some aircraft in the military and only have one
Weren’t they monitoring 5 radios? They just had good SA..
They don't listen to "regular" traffic
Story did sound fishy to me. Too good to be real. It’s a great story tho!
So they had 5 radios all tuned to the same channel? FO
So basically this individual is calling USAF Major Brian Shul a liar......
That 'individual' is Major general Al Joersz.
Well he was.... kicked out of SR duty when he was caught lying... only pilot to have that happen to them
It's well explained within the story itself, "Walt" was monitoring other channels... This is sad
Plenty of SR crews have proved the story was rubbish. Like mach 3 is over 38 miles a minute...in that time he's listening in on another conversation about speed then joining in ..the cesna radio at 5k ft only goes 100 miles....the SR would have been out of range of the cesna before they even heard anyone else ask for a speed check .
Why oh why someone has to come along and try and diminish the magic of that story. It was beautifully told buy an incredible aviator. Bugger off mate!!
He must have not listened to the actual story and heard what people told him.
Says a Cessna pilot.😂😂😂😂😊
The story didn’t happen plane and simple. Controllers can’t see speed beyond 999kts they can only guess and the SR-71 moved so fast they weren’t on a screen long enough to know anything.
OH it's true, know no doubt about it. IT definitely is a awesome story that is true.